At night, Tang Feng lay on his back on the cold, hard stone bed, the excitement and clamor of the day fading away.
Tang Feng did not immediately rise to meditate. Instead, he let his thoughts wander, slowly sorting through them in this silence that belonged to him alone. Thick fog shrouded the road ahead; he had to make clear plans for his future.
A single Martial Soul, with innate Soul Power at rank seven.
Tang Feng had rationally predicted this result countless times. Among the countless people of the Douluo Continent, it might have counted as fairly good, enough for a small sect or ordinary Soul Master Academy to regard him as a promising prospect worth nurturing.
But measured against those true favorites of heaven, especially the protagonist blessed by fortune in the original story, this talent was far too mediocre.
Even if Tang Feng fought with his life on the line and squeezed out every last drop of his potential, without some heaven-shaking opportunity, the limit of these aptitudes would probably be a mid-level Soul Douluo. Breaking through to become a Titled Douluo, one of the continent's strongest, was practically a fool's dream under his sect's current predicament, with its mountain sealed and its resources cut off.
"Ah..." Tang Feng let out an extremely soft sigh, filled with utter helplessness.
Tang San started with Twin Martial Souls and innate full Soul Power. He could hide his Clear Sky Hammer and walk the world with Blue Silver Grass, avoiding Spirit Hall's sharp edge, while also possessing numerous extraordinary arts such as the Mysterious Heaven Skill and the Hidden Weapon Hundred Separations.
And himself? He was also a reincarnator, so why was the gap so vast? If heaven was so unfair, why not simply send him back to his original world? He truly could not shoulder this thousand-pound burden, where every turn involved life and death and the blood debt of his parents.
But the negative thought only flashed through Tang Feng's mind before his stronger resolve forcibly cut it off. He extended his right hand and summoned his Martial Soul with a thought. Gazing fondly at it, he felt bold spirit surge within him. Even without supreme talent, I at least possess the world's number one Tool Martial Soul!
His most urgent task was certainly not to wallow in self-pity. It was to solidify his foundation and temper his character. Only with an unshakable foundation and a will firm as rock would he be qualified to seize and withstand an opportunity, should one truly arrive in the future!
Tang Feng put away his Clear Sky Hammer, and his unwillingness to yield and stubborn determination took command once more. The quality of his Martial Soul was a supreme starting point bestowed at birth, but how far he could carry that starting point ultimately depended on his own efforts!
If he tempered his Clear Sky Hammer to its utmost and made suitable plans, he would surely obtain quite a few opportunities. The summit might not be beyond his reach. Hadn't their ancestor Tang Chen swept all before him and looked down upon the world with nothing but a Clear Sky Hammer?
At this thought, he sighed inwardly. Opportunities? Perhaps I'll just have to let Tang San suffer a little...
Over the past three years, Tang Feng had read widely and learned quite a few ways to improve his aptitude.
First, Soul Bones. This was one of the most direct and effective paths. A Soul Bone with compatible attributes could not only greatly strengthen his physique and increase his cultivation speed, but was also said to have a subtle effect on improving Martial Soul quality.
However, Soul Bones were supreme treasures of the continent. Even an ordinary Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone was enough to spark a bloody battle between Titled Douluos. Possessing jade was itself a crime; without absolute strength and backing, owning a Soul Bone was no different from a child carrying gold through a bustling market.
The Clear Sky Sect had deep reserves and might have a few Soul Bones hidden away, but there was no possibility of bestowing one upon an ordinary disciple like Tang Feng, who had mediocre aptitude and had made no contribution whatsoever to the sect. This path was closed in the short term.
Second, treasures of heaven and earth. Those immortal-grade medicinal herbs found in legends and ancient texts possessed miraculous effects that could cleanse the sinews and marrow, remake the body, and even directly raise one's innate Soul Power rank.
From what he remembered, the Shrek Seven Devils' leap forward seemed to have owed a great deal to them. But Tang Feng neither knew what those Immortal Herbs looked like nor which perilous corners of the continent they grew in.
Even if he knew, how could he search for them with his current strength and circumstances? Was he really supposed to cling to Tang San's thigh, gambling on some pitiful little reward and hoping for a share of the scraps?
That was without even mentioning that he was now trapped in the ancestral grounds, with no way to leave the mountain. Even if he managed to get out, once his identity as a Clear Sky Sect disciple was exposed and brought Spirit Hall's pursuit down on him, not only would he be unable to protect himself, but he would also bring annihilation upon the sect! At this thought, Tang Feng silently cursed Spirit Hall and Tang Hao several more times.
Third, medicinal baths to temper the body. This was the method Tang Feng had considered longest, and the one that seemed the most "down-to-earth." With enough medicinal ingredients, combined with a special method for medicinal bathing, sustained practice might gradually improve the strength of his meridians and even produce an effect equivalent to increasing innate Soul Power by half a rank to a full rank.
But the reality was that the sect was stretched thin. Maintaining basic survival was difficult enough; where would it find the spare resources to collect those expensive medicinal ingredients? Moreover, Spirit Hall surely had spies watching outside the sect, and purchasing medicinal ingredients on a large scale would easily expose them.
As for creating or improving a meditation method, that was even more of a castle in the air for Tang Feng. He had no profound store of theoretical knowledge. Besides, the meditation method passed down by the Clear Sky Sect had been forged and tempered by generations of powerful masters and was already highly compatible with the Clear Sky Hammer, leaving very little room for improvement.
Martial Soul Evolution was even less possible. The Clear Sky Hammer already ranked among the very finest Tool Martial Souls; only the legendary divine-grade Martial Souls stood above it.
Tang Feng rubbed his aching temples, feeling as though a thousand tangled threads lay before him, with nowhere to begin.
Longing suddenly welled up in his heart as he recalled those three carefree years when his parents were still alive. His fingertips brushed the pendant his maternal grandfather, Yang Wudi, had given him, and the cold feel of metal abruptly brought him back to himself.
"A Storage Soul Tool... Now that I've awakened my Soul Power, perhaps I can open it."
With a thought, Tang Feng tentatively injected a trace of Soul Power. Sure enough, the instant his mind connected with it, a space opened up before him. The Storage Soul Tool's internal space was not large, measuring roughly ten cubic meters.
There were very few items inside as well. When he took them out, there were only four neatly stacked books and a letter resting quietly on top.
The books were titled Complete Compendium of Pharmacology, Complete Compendium of Toxicology, Immortal Herb Catalogue, and Soul Breaking Spear Technique.
Tang Feng took out the letter first and opened it. The words "To my grandson Tang Feng, to be opened personally" on the envelope were written in bold, somber strokes. He unfolded the paper, which read:
"Little Feng, by the time you unfold this letter, your grandfather may already be forever separated from you by life and death.
"Within are the secret arts passed down by our Breaking Clan. You will understand them when you read them. If the Martial Soul you awaken is your mother's Soul Breaking Spear, then the spear technique will suit you perfectly. If not, should you someday encounter surviving members of the Breaking Clan, you may pass on this inheritance in my stead.
"The other three pharmacological texts contain our clan's closely guarded secrets. I hope you can bring them back into the light of day and carry them to greater heights.
"Final words of Yang Wudi, Breaking Clan."
The handwriting was heavy, the tone like a farewell at death's door. Clearly, his grandfather had already prepared for the entire clan to die in battle, which was why he had left behind these belongings and final words.
Yet his grandfather could never have imagined that the Clear Sky Sect, which he had sworn to defend to the death, would choose to abandon them at the final moment, sacrificing its subordinate clans in exchange for the future continuation of its own inheritance.
"Ah..."
Another long sigh. The past was gone, and he had no power to turn back heaven. He could only hope to do something for the Breaking Clan someday, even if it was only the slightest compensation.
Putting away the letter, Tang Feng turned his gaze to the three pharmacological texts.
The Complete Compendium of Pharmacology and Complete Compendium of Toxicology needed no explanation. They recorded the arts of preparing medicines and refining poisons, which he could study slowly in the future.
Only the Immortal Herb Catalogue made Tang Feng's heart warm, and he could not help thinking, Could this be the information on treasures of heaven and earth that I've dreamed of obtaining?
Tang Feng eagerly opened it. Moments later, storm-tossed waves were already surging through his heart.
The book recorded dozens of immortal-grade herbs, each accompanied by detailed illustrations, effects, and methods of use, along with essential harvesting instructions. Every single one possessed the power to defy heaven and change fate!
"So that's it... This should be one of the opportunities Tang San obtained-immortal-grade medicinal herbs! With opportunities like these, I could do it too!" Tang Feng's mind suddenly cleared, and an irrepressible surge of excitement scattered his earlier gloom.
Several Immortal Herb names in the catalogue felt faintly familiar, as though they had flashed through the hazy fragments of his memories of the original story. But no matter how he tried, he could not remember exactly where they grew.
Still, any place capable of nurturing such Immortal Herbs had to be a blessed grotto where the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth gathered, and it probably already had an owner.
If he found it, he would have to ask his paternal and maternal grandfathers for help. If that failed, even stealing or robbing would do. In short, he was determined to obtain them!
Tang Feng focused his mind and recalled:
Shrek Academy wasn't in Heaven Dou City when it was first founded. Where exactly was it? Never mind. Tomorrow I'll go to the reading room and consult a map, going through every city's name. Perhaps that will stir my memory.
Later, Shrek Academy moved to Heaven Dou City. The Shrek group's strength suddenly skyrocketed before they entered the Advanced Soul Master Tournament, after which they crushed their way through and finally won a hard-fought championship against Spirit Hall Academy.
Judging by that, the treasure land should be near Heaven Dou City. Tomorrow I'll also have to look into any unusual places around it.
Closing the book, Tang Feng could not help marveling, The Immortal Herb Catalogue Grandfather left behind isn't merely a treasure trove of knowledge. It has also pointed me toward a way to break the shackles of my talent!